Winter Weather’s Impact on Hospital Facilities and EVS Operations

Posted on February 9th, 2026

How a Record Snowfall, Foot Traffic, and Respiratory Illness Surges Drive Labor Demand and Asset Wear

This winter has been operationally different for hospitals across the United States. Several regions experienced record or near-record snowfall, including parts of the South and lower Midwest that historically see little to no sustained winter weather. Hospitals in states such as Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and across much of the Southeast encountered snow and ice conditions well outside their normal planning assumptions.

For many of these facilities, this was not simply a heavier winter. It was an unfamiliar one.

Facilities, Environmental Services teams, and support services that are typically designed around rain, heat, and hurricane preparedness were suddenly managing extended snow events, repeated freeze-thaw cycles, and prolonged reliance on winter control measures. Entry systems, matting layouts, staffing models, and cleaning protocols were often not designed for sustained winter exposure at this frequency and duration.

As a result, the impact inside hospitals has been more disruptive, more labor-intensive, and more costly than in regions accustomed to regular snowfall.

Winter weather is not just an exterior safety issue. In years like this, it becomes a facility-wide operational stressor with direct implications for EVS capacity, asset preservation, and patient safety.

Why Winter Weather Creates Interior Facility Stress

Snow and ice control measures such as ice melt products, pre-treatment agents, mechanical snow removal, and traction materials are essential for maintaining exterior safety during winter weather events. However, moisture and winter residue do not stop at the door.

Foot traffic continuously carries moisture and particulate into the facility, particularly during active weather events and prolonged cold periods. Once inside, this material migrates rapidly through high-traffic zones, including lobbies, corridors, waiting areas, elevator banks, and clinical adjacencies.

As volume increases, fine particulate embeds into floor finishes, accelerates abrasion, and degrades appearance. Floors lose gloss, discoloration becomes visible, and finish-life shortens. What begins as a temporary condition quickly becomes a persistent operational challenge requiring repeated intervention.

In regions unaccustomed to sustained snow, these impacts are magnified. Entry systems may be undersized, matting insufficient, and response protocols underdeveloped simply because historical conditions never required them.

Why Hospitals Are More Exposed Than Other Facilities

Hospitals face a unique combination of structural and operational realities that amplify winter weather impacts.

They operate continuously, meaning interior contamination never pauses. They have multiple access points serving different populations, each introducing distinct traffic patterns and contamination risks. Infection prevention requirements further limit the use of aggressive chemicals and abrasive methods commonly used in non-healthcare environments.

In healthcare, flooring is not just a surface. It directly influences infection prevention, staff safety, patient perception, and long-term capital preservation. Winter conditions stress all these simultaneously.

Why Winter Weather Disproportionately Impacts EVS Labor

Winter weather does not increase EVS workload evenly. It concentrates labor demand into high-visibility, high-traffic public spaces while simultaneously increasing clinical cleaning requirements.

During extended snow and ice events, EVS teams are pulled into reactive, repetitive work in lobbies, corridors, entrances, and waiting areas. These spaces require repeated attention as winter residue is reintroduced faster than it can be removed.

Instead of progressing routine cleaning schedules, preventive floor care, or project work, staff are forced into continuous re-cleaning cycles. This results in labor displacement. Hours normally allocated to preventive maintenance, detail cleaning, and deep cleaning are consumed by surface-level remediation that produces diminishing returns.

For hospitals in southern and historically low-snow regions, this impact has been particularly disruptive. Staffing models, productivity assumptions, and task frequencies were not built around prolonged winter response, leading to rapid strain on available labor.

At this point, EVS leaders are no longer managing workload. They are managing tradeoffs. Without intentional direction from administration, those tradeoffs default to visibility rather than risk.

Compounding Pressure from Elevated Respiratory Illness Activity

These challenges are occurring alongside elevated respiratory illness activity. This winter has seen sustained circulation of influenza, RSV, and COVID-related illness across many regions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported widespread respiratory virus activity, driving higher inpatient census and emergency department utilization.

For EVS teams, this translates into:

These are non-negotiable clinical priorities. The same workforce responsible for infection risk reduction is also expected to manage sustained winter-related interior degradation. When winter residue is not controlled at the entry level, labor is diverted from patient-care priorities to managing public-space deterioration.

This is not an execution problem. It is a capacity problem.

What Happens When EVS Labor Is Not Intentionally Allocated

When EVS labor is not explicitly allocated for winter remediation and containment, the impact does not disappear. It shifts and multiplies across the organization.

Uncontrolled migration of winter residue is the first consequence. Moisture and particulate move beyond entry points into primary corridors, elevator banks, and clinical adjacencies. Once embedded, routine cleaning is no longer sufficient without increasing risk to finishes and traction.

Labor is then silently diverted from clinical priorities. Staff respond informally to visible deterioration by pulling time from isolation rooms, terminal cleaning, and high-touch disinfection. This shift rarely appears on schedules, but it directly affects throughput and infection prevention outcomes.

Rework increases and productivity collapses. Improper sequencing spreads residue, floors require repeated passes, and more labor is consumed to achieve fewer durable results. Preventive floor care is deferred, accelerating asset degradation and shifting costs from operating budgets into capital budgets.

Safety risk increases as surface conditions fluctuate. Staff fatigue rises. Morale declines. Absenteeism and turnover accelerate precisely when experienced staff are most critical.

Leadership often misdiagnoses the outcome as poor execution or accountability failure when the true issue is insufficient labor allocation for a predictable operational condition.

Entry Control as the Primary Mitigation Strategy

Effective winter response begins with containment. Preventing migration reduces downstream labor exponentially.

Industry best practice supports providing fifteen to twenty feet of walk-off surface at primary entrances, combining exterior scraping with interior absorbent matting. This allows multiple footfalls to remove moisture and residue before it reaches finished flooring.

Guidance from the International Sanitary Supply Association reinforces extended matting systems as a foundational soil control strategy. Facilities unfamiliar with sustained snow events are discovering that existing layouts are insufficient under abnormal winter conditions.

Matting must be properly sized, aligned with traffic flow, and maintained aggressively. Saturated mats redistribute residue rather than capture it, undermining their purpose.

Cleaning Practices and Sequencing in Real-World EVS Operations
During winter conditions with heavy tracked-in residue, the primary challenge is not cleaner selection but the volume and persistence of material entering the facility.

When residue levels exceed what routine processes were designed to manage, even appropriate products struggle to keep pace without sufficient labor, proper sequencing, and effective containment at the entry level.

Effective winter floor care depends on matching cleaning methods and products to the type and volume of soil present, emphasizing physical removal of moisture and grit while protecting floor finishes and maintaining traction. Dry removal must precede wet cleaning to prevent residue spread and finish damage.

 
Exterior Conditions Still Influence Interior Outcomes
Mechanical snow removal reduces the amount of material available for tracking. Strategic treatment of ramps, transitions, and known slip-risk zones limits unnecessary carry-in. Proper drainage reduces standing meltwater near entrances, decreasing moisture transport into the building.

Facilities unfamiliar with snow events are learning that exterior design and maintenance decisions directly affect interior labor demand and asset wear.

The Environmental Protection Agency has highlighted the long-term corrosive impacts of chloride-based winter treatments, reinforcing the importance of thoughtful exterior management as part of facility preservation.

Why EVS Labor Preservation Is a Patient Safety Strategy

During winters with elevated respiratory illness and unprecedented snow exposure, EVS labor becomes a finite clinical resource.

Every hour spent repeatedly remediating public-space residue is an hour not spent reducing infection risk elsewhere in the facility. Hospitals that intentionally allocate labor, contain residue early, and adjust expectations during active events are better positioned to protect patients, staff, and assets.

Winter weather response exposes whether EVS is treated as a cost center or an operational control function.

Citations

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Respiratory Virus Activity and Infection Prevention Guidance
https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/index.html

Used to support statements regarding elevated respiratory illness activity, increased isolation and terminal cleaning demand, and heightened infection prevention pressure on EVS teams during winter months.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Chloride, Deicing Practices, and Infrastructure Impacts
https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/chloride-salt-and-water
https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/snow-and-ice-removal

Used to support discussion of winter treatment materials, chloride-related corrosion, infrastructure impacts, and the importance of thoughtful exterior winter management.

International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA)
Soil Control and Entrance Matting Best Practices
https://www.issa.com/articles/why-entrance-matting-matters
https://www.issa.com/articles/soil-control-programs
Used to support recommendations related to extended walk-off matting, soil containment strategies, and entry control as a primary mitigation approach.

Healthcare Facilities Management (HFM) Magazine
Maintaining Hospital Floor Surfaces and Asset Preservation
https://www.hfmmagazine.com/articles/4033-maintaining-hospital-floor-surfaces

Used to support statements regarding floor finish degradation, maintenance challenges, and the long-term asset impact of environmental stressors in healthcare facilities.

About the Author

Donald Sipp Jr., MBA, PMP, CHESP, RESE, CHTI
Senior Director, Ruck-Shockey Associates, Inc.

Connect with Donald Sipp Jr.

Featured Insights

Snow-Ambulance


Celebrating Environmental Services Week with Gratitude and Pride
September 14-20

Posted on September 8th, 2025

At Ruck-Shockey Associates, Inc., we are honored to celebrate Environmental Services (EVS) Week—a dedicated time to recognize the essential professionals who keep our healthcare facilities (Hospitals, Long-term care facilities, rehab facilities), schools, offices, and public spaces safe, clean, and welcoming.

Environmental Services teams are truly at the core of healthy, vibrant environments. Their impact reaches far beyond cleaning: from supporting infection prevention and organizational wellness to building the confidence and comfort of colleagues, students, patients, and visitors each day. Whether it’s disinfecting high-touch surfaces, preparing patient rooms, maintaining clean classrooms, or ensuring smooth operations behind the scenes, EVS professionals play a crucial role in protecting every community they serve.

As we recognize their work, we’re reminded:



At Ruck-Shockey Associates, Inc., we’ve been privileged to collaborate with EVS leaders and dedicated staff across industries. Their commitment inspires us daily and is essential to the reputation and smooth operation of every organization.

To every Environmental Services professional — thank you!

Your unwavering dedication ensures cleaner, safer, and healthier spaces for everyone. You set the standard for safety, reliability, and care in every environment!

This EVS Week, let’s proudly celebrate your hard work, leadership, and meaningful impact—whether your role is in healthcare, education, business, industry, or public service. You make a real difference, and we are proud to stand with you.

From your partners at Ruck-Shockey Associates, Inc.

Happy Environmental Services Week!

EVS-Services-Week-2025


Beyond the Paycheck: Why Celebration is Your EVS Team’s Secret Weapon

Posted on July 3rd, 2025

At the recent 2025 AHE Exchange, Donald Sipp of Ruck-Shockey and Associates Inc. delivered a powerful message in his “Beyond the Paycheck: Why People Quit” presentation: We all need to celebrate more! This isn’t just a feel-good sentiment; for healthcare Environmental Services (EVS) departments, fostering a culture of celebration is a strategic imperative for success.

EVS professionals are the unsung heroes, directly impacting infection prevention and patient experience. Yet, when their vital contributions go unnoticed, morale plummets, stress rises, and valuable talent walks out the door. Neglecting celebration leads to disengagement, burnout, and costly turnover, ultimately compromising the very quality and safety they strive to uphold.

The Power of Acknowledgment

Celebration, in its truest form, is a fundamental leadership practice. It’s about:

Your Celebration Toolkit: Ideas from AHE

At the AHE Exchange, our discussion group even generated a word cloud filled with fantastic ideas for celebrating EVS teams. It was a vibrant testament to the creativity and shared commitment within our community! The suggestions ranged from simple daily acknowledgments to larger team events.

Think about:

The key is consistency and authenticity. Make celebration a regular part of your team’s routine. It doesn’t always require a big budget, but it always requires genuine appreciation.
By actively celebrating your EVS team, you bring their vital role into the spotlight, reinforcing their value to the entire organization. This investment in human connection goes far “beyond the paycheck,” leading to improved morale, lower turnover, and ultimately, a safer and cleaner environment for every patient.


2025 National Nutrition Month

Posted on March 14th, 2025

2025-National-Nutrition-Month
Food touches everyone! Food connects us to our cultures, our families and our friends. Food is also an experience – think of the fun family meals, parties with friends and holiday events which bring joy and memories. Health, memories, traditions, seasons and access can all impact our relationship with food. While these factors influence the food we eat, the food we eat also affects our health. No matter your age or activity level, making healthful food and drink choices will provide your body with energy now and fuel for the future.

Here are some tips to help us enjoy our food, stay nourished and connected on a budget. When prices of food and supplies go up, buying healthful foods may feel like a stretch. Yet, many healthful foods are filing, cost less overall, and help to manage or reduce your chances of developing chronic diseases.


Turkey Time 2024

Posted on November 14th, 2024

Time for a quick turkey reminder to help keep your guests and family safe and satisfied this Holiday.

Department Heads: Please forward to your employees that do not have access to email.

Turkey Thawing:
Frozen turkeys typically thaw at the rate of five pounds per day under refrigeration. Hence, if you don’t start thawing your 20-pound bird by Saturday, it’s pizza for Thanksgiving! Keeping them in the original cases will slow this process down dramatically.
If the turkey needs an additional “push”, COLD RUNNING WATER is the ONLY method to use. Do not “leave them out” overnight or let them “float” in a sink full of water. A few gallons of running water are cheaper than a holiday weekend at the ED. On average, you will be able to feed one person (with leftovers) per pound of whole turkey.

Turkey Cooking:
Remove the turkey from the refrigerator about thirty minutes before cooking. This gives the bird a chance to “temper” so that it is not ice-cold going into the heat. Season and truss as you desire but please do not stuff the turkey. In order to be safe, the stuffing much reach an internal temperature of 165ºF for 15 seconds at which point the stuffed bird would be thoroughly dried out.
Cook your stuffing on the side and use some extra gravy.
Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan.
Heat your oven to 350ºF for at least fifteen minutes before you begin.
At 350ºF, a thawed, frozen turkey cooks at rate of one pound per fifteen minutes; fresh at one pound per twelve minutes. This is an approximate time only. For perfect timing,
determine when dinner is to be served and multiply the weight of the turkey by the appropriate time per pound. Add an extra hour for the cooked bird to rest and that’s the total time of preparation. E.g.: For dinner at 7:00 PM + 20-pound defrosted bird [{(20*15)/60} +1] =6 hours=Start cooking at 1:00 PM. Test the internal temperature of the bird with a stem thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh. The critical limit is 165ºF for 15 seconds at product center, the thickest part of the thigh.
NOTE: The installed “pop-up” timer is set to pop at 180 ºF. If it cooks this much it will be dried out well. Remove it before cooking!
Your finished turkey MUST rest, loosely tented with aluminum foil for ONE HOUR before carving. Fear not, it will still be hot in the middle.
The juices will reabsorb, and the carving will be much easier.

Still have questions? Try the Turkey Calculator:

How Long to Cook a Turkey (Time Chart and Tips)

Buon’ appetito!

Chef


TRANSITION MANAGEMENT MATTERS

Posted on July 8th, 2024

Change is a constant in today’s service organizations. Leaders must act quickly to keep up with new technology, increasing customer expectations, and business growth. To remain competitive, most organizations have one or more projects in progress at any time. These projects require considerable time, money, and resources to create a clear vision of future-state and establish a strategic plan. However, even the best plans can fall short. When goals are not achieved on time, on budget, or at the expected performance levels, the failure is often due to a lack of transition management.

Transition, the phase between “where we are now and where we plan to be,” is challenging. Leaders must manage daily operations and implement project plans simultaneously. Technical and activation issues can be complex and costly. Changing workflows, technology, and job roles create uncertainty and anxiety for employees. Productivity levels may drop significantly during this time. Having a transition management plan in place to address these challenges makes a critical difference in project success.

Transition management is a structured approach to help organizations in the planning and management of complex and critical organizational changes associated with new construction, expansion, acquisitions, or other business structure changes. It combines project management and change management disciplines to address both the technical and people sides of change. A transition management plan is customized based on project size and complexity but always includes strategies for leadership support, project and activation management, and people readiness.

Leadership support encompasses both executive leaders and frontline managers. Project outcomes are achieved more often when there is an active and visible executive leader serving as the project sponsor. The executive leader helps the organization understand why changes are occurring. Frontline managers explain to their employees how the changes will impact their work. Transition management assists leaders in addressing the project’s whys and hows and gaining buy-in from stakeholders. Designating a dedicated transition team also allows leaders to achieve project outcomes without disrupting business continuity during the transition.

Transition management supports the project and activation teams by providing a structured framework that keeps the project on schedule and budget and avoids rework and redesign. The framework guides the team through a progression of detailed action steps that assist them to evaluate options and make the right choices at the right time. Frequent checkpoints are established to ensure the project stays on track. The framework also ensures that there is open, ongoing communication among leadership, the project team, and contractors and that there are clear roles and expectations for hand-offs during the activation process.

People readiness is an essential element of transition management. Leaders, employees, vendors, customers, and other stakeholders who are directly or indirectly impacted by the project must understand what is happening, why, and what they must do to prepare. Engagement and preparation help minimize resistance to change and result in better adoption of new technology, workflows, and processes. Transition management strategies include training and communication in a variety of formats that are scheduled in alignment with the project team to ensure stakeholders receive the right training and information at the right time.

Change is never easy and the transition from current to future state is challenging. Incorporating a transition management plan into your project increases the probability of achieving your expected project goals within the given time and budget constraints. Transition management matters. Consider engaging the services of a transition management consultant who can collaborate with you and your team to design a customized and adaptable transition plan for your next project. Click on RSA’s contact page and in the message box: “Transition Support” for a 30-minute free consult with one of our Transition Team Experts.


How Technology Empowers Your Healthcare Environmental Services

Posted on June 4th, 2024

The Challenge: For years, healthcare EVS departments have struggled with doing more with less. Budget cuts and staffing shortages strain resources. The Solution: Technology!

Integrating technology into your EVS program offers a strategic edge. Here’s how it elevates your operations:
Enhanced Efficiency and Data-Driven Decisions:

Improved Quality and Patient Experience:

Empowered Staff and Streamlined Communication:

The Future of EVS: Technology empowers your EVS team to become a data-driven force, proactively maintaining a safe, healthy environment for patients, staff, and visitors. Embrace the cutting edge, and elevate your healthcare EVS program!

Want to know ways technology can be integrated into your EVS program? We can help with a technology and automation assessment!

tech-brain


Transforming Healthcare Foodservice: The Power of AI and Robotics

Posted on April 10th, 2024

In recent years, the healthcare industry has witnessed a remarkable transformation with the integration of technology into various operational aspects. Food equipment and software management systems are seeing significant changes and benefits from this technological revolution. With artificial intelligence (AI) and smart equipment/robotics, healthcare organizations can revolutionize their foodservice operations even more, enhancing the overall patient experience and optimizing efficiency. In this article, we will explore the numerous benefits and value that these technologies bring to healthcare foodservice.

Robotic use in a kitchen.

Kitchen robot

Fully automative equipment informs the cook when ingredients are needed and amounts

Built in recipes
transforming-pic4


✔ Enhanced Efficiency and Accuracy:
AI and smart equipment/robotics streamline various food service processes, reducing manual errors and saving valuable time. Automated systems can be used for inventory management, ensuring that the right ingredients are always available while minimizing waste. Intelligent algorithms can analyze patient preferences and dietary restrictions, allowing for personalized meal planning and ensuring that each meal is catered to the individual’s specific needs. Producing a recipe can be more consistent and accurate by ingredient needs and programing directly incorporated into the equipment. By automating repetitive tasks, such as meal preparation and delivery, hospitals can better utilize their workforce free up their staff to focus the food experience, consistency for patient care, resulting in improved efficiency throughout the foodservice workflow.

✔ Improved Patient Satisfaction:
Food plays a vital role in the overall patient’s experience during their hospital stay. By leveraging AI and smart equipment/robotics, hospitals can offer a more patient-centric approach to foodservice. These technologies enable personalized menus based on patients’ medical conditions, allergies, and cultural preferences. Meal selection can be done through interactive interfaces, giving patients more control over their dietary choices. AI-powered chatbots can assist patients in accessing nutritional information, answering questions, and addressing concerns promptly. Ultimately, this enhanced patient experience leads to higher satisfaction rates and improved health outcomes.

✔ Enhanced Safety and Compliance:
Food safety is of paramount importance in healthcare settings. AI and smart equipment/robotics can play a crucial role in ensuring compliance with stringent regulations and minimizing the risk of foodborne illnesses. Intelligent monitoring systems equipped with sensors can continuously monitor critical parameters such as temperature and humidity in food storage and preparation areas, alerting staff to any deviations. Smart equipment/Robotics can assist in the preparation and handling of food, minimizing the risk of contamination and human errors. By implementing these technologies, hospitals can maintain the highest standards of food safety and compliance, safeguarding the well-being of patients and staff.

✔ Data-Driven Decision Making:
AI and smart equipment/robotics generate vast amounts of data related to food consumption patterns, inventory management, and operational efficiency. This data can be analyzed and leveraged to make data-driven decisions, optimize food service processes, and identify areas for improvement. By gaining insights into patient preferences healthcare organizations can refine their menus, ensure optimal nutrition, and reduce food waste. Predictive analytics can be employed to anticipate demand and adjust inventory levels, accordingly, avoiding shortages or excesses. These technologies empower healthcare foodservice providers with actionable intelligence, enabling continuous improvement and informed decision-making.

The integration of AI and smart equipment/robotics into healthcare foodservice operations will revolutionize the way hospitals cater to their patients’ nutritional needs. By leveraging these technologies, hospitals can enhance efficiency, improve patient satisfaction, ensure compliance, and make data-driven decisions. As the healthcare industry continues to embrace digital transformation, it is crucial for foodservice providers to harness the power of AI and smart equipment/robotics to stay at the forefront of innovation and deliver the best possible foodservice experience. The future of healthcare foodservice is undoubtedly intertwined with these transformative technologies, promising a healthier and more satisfying journey for patients and healthcare providers alike. As we move into this next generation of technology, we need to be smart and strategic in how we utilize it. Let’s be proactive and manage this process before AI manages us.

RSA is ready to help you with these opportunities and challenges.


Honor Thy Kitchen

Posted on February 26th, 2024

Today’s operator has the benefit of ever-superior technology in equipment and systems that make creating exciting and nourishing menus easier than ever. Combi-ovens, Wi-Fi-enabled smart refrigerators, ventless rapid cook ovens, and all kinds of automated food processing devices make quick work of mise en place, memorializing recipes for push-button accuracy and consistency. After a moderate set-up of trial and testing, then programming, the line-level worker can execute plate after plate in the same way with no guesswork.

The downside is that tech can be delicate. Cooks tend to be decidedly indelicate. When substantial amounts of capital are invested in new smart equipment and plow horses of the past have been eliminated, downtime is crushing. Sensors, motherboards, and even high-tech gaskets are creating delays in repair due to our still sluggish supply chain. Qualified technicians are just as rare. Moreover, the workarounds, potential loss of quality and consistency, and the impact on colleague morale all negatively affect the organization. No one benefits when a critical piece of equipment is “still down”.

The remedy? Education and engagement. First, educate the team, (that’s EVERYONE) of the definition of a Capital Expenditure (Capex) and the dollar thresholds of your organization. Explain the approval process, how long it takes, and why. Explain in detail the differences between Capex, Consumables, and Disposables and why capital does not come out of the operating budget. It is imperative that the catcher on the flight machine understands that the unit costs as much as a starter home. Only then can leadership create the awareness that these assets must be protected.

True story: Senior year in culinary school. Purchasing class. Value lesson. The instructor randomly asked each of the sixteen students for a quarter. Give me a quarter, give me a quarter, give me a quarter until she got to the last student and traded the $3.75 for 4 singles (fortuitous for a college student to have any cash). She then stood at the front of the classroom, held out the bills, and torched them with her cigarette lighter without a word. The entire class lurched forward. Her lesson? “This is how the owner feels when you break a plate or overcook a steak…and you only lost a quarter.” Senseless waste. A brutal lesson that is not recommended for reenactment, yet a retelling goes an exceptionally long way to make a point in a way that everyone can relate.

Next, training. Anyone who will use or clean the equipment must be thoroughly in-serviced on it. Manufacturer’s best practices and videos are encouraged. A locally produced “how-to” video is a terrific way to make it personal and create pride in workmanship and the department. This will help foster a culture of excellence that can be contagious: “Hey, don’t slam those oven doors! We don’t do that here!”.
Stress that it is incumbent upon everyone to protect the assets of the department for the greatest performance.

Finally, be sure to provide all the tools necessary for ease of production and cleaning. Make it easy to do it right. Do your recipes include the use and care of the equipment specified? Are all your pieces on casters with quick disconnect supply lines? Are there the prescribed cleaning supplies available and have they been included in the training? Is your master cleaning schedule up to date and exact? Who manages daily overwatch to confirm accuracy? It is imperative that staff know and understand the value in their hands.

“The work is best that the boss inspects.” Col. D H Hackworth

Tools for success:
Basic fundamentals of kitchen design and preventative maintenance programming can be found here on RSA’s Learning platform:

Healthcare Foodservice Design and Equipment Fundamentals (ruckshockey.com)

Creating a template that assigns regular ownership to equipment by position is a public way to establish accountability and ownership throughout the department:

Task Work Order Area Frequency Assigned to
Clean combi stack Kitchen Daily
Clean line reach-ins and make station Small dish room Daily
Change fryer, boi out and refill Sm, dish room Every 3 days
Seep and mope produce cooler Sm, dish room/td>

Daily
Delime flight machine Dish room Weekly
Clean floor behind ice maker Hallway Weekly


Big Game Eats

Posted on February 5th, 2024

The Big Game is Sunday, 11 February 2024 and while it is not officially a National Holiday it has all the components of one:

This year let’s look at some classics with a few updates for diversity and ease of home preparation.

Whatever you choose, plan your menu in advance and stay focused. Organize serving equipment on Saturday and be mindful of heat management on and in your cooking surfaces. Most of all, organize that you will be finished with preparations by kickoff so that you can enjoy the Big Game, too!

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?

football-field